More...

Laverty talks about his first Aprilia crash

Eugene Laverty suffered his first crash onboard his factory Aprilia at Portimao yesterday - and it was a big one. The 25 year old Irishman who finished the day second fastest had a huge high side on the approach to turn ten.

Although heavily winded, Laverty sustained no serious injury and returned to the track after the crash on his spare bike.

Speaking to MCN moments after the crash he said: “It was certainly a big one. There was a rider in front of me and I think that took my focus away just a little bit and I ended up just a little bit wide on the apex of the left. I tried to bring the bike back on line when I lost the rear.

“I thought I’d saved it but then it went the other way and then back again and it flung me off. The bike kind of chased me along the ground and although it was close to me I don’t think it actually hit me. I was really badly winded and it took me a while to catch my breath, a while longer to get to my knees and then a bit longer to actually get to my feet.

“In a way I think I was kind of due a big one, I haven’t crashed since Misano so I guess you could say that I had it coming! The first crash I had on the Yamaha was a big one at Phillip Island – so hopefully I’ve got it out of the way.”

Although no one was there to photograph the crash, MCN took a picture of the bike after it returned to the paddock. The damage doesn’t look so bad, but the picture was taken after both wheels had been replaced because they were completely destroyed in the crash and the Aprilia team had to change them to enable them to manoeuvre the bike.

Testing at the Portuguese circuit concludes today before the six week WSB testing ban comes in to effect.